18th September, 2012
The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, Tuesday freed 130 awaiting trial prison inmates of Kirikiri Prison, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
Justice Phillips, while exercising her judicial powers as enshrined under the criminal justice (release from prison) law of the federation 2007, said all the inmates released have been unjustly awaiting trial for upward of 12 years without trial.
She urged the inmates to be of good character as they reunite with their families and loved ones.
Justice Philips’ visit to the prisons and subsequent release of the 130 inmates is part of activities to mark the beginning of Lagos State 2013 legal year.
Deputy Comptroller General of the Kirikiri prison, Tinuoye Olumide thanked the Chief Judge for the gesture and pointed out that many of those released had no business being in the maximum section of the prisons where they were held.
Pleading with the Chief Judge to make such visit regular, Tinuoye said it was unfortunate that someone will be kept in the prisons by the legal system over suspicion of committing a crime for over 12 years.
He called on government to consider some form of compensation for those who have been wrongly imprisoned.
By Henry Ojelu